Help with customs and immigration from the U.S.

[bobbie68]

Hi I am having my kid's friend from Australia visiting and we will be doing Disney. I have never travelled international, so I could use some help. I did try looking it up on the internet, but I got two different answers. Here goes my question: When my kid's friend goes back to Australia they will leave from MCO then go to LAX for a stop over then onto Melbourne. Do I need to have them to have a long window for stop over? I wasn't sure if they have to go back through customs or immigration. I can only find either a 1 hour stop or 11 hour stop over. I really don't want to make the kid be in the airport for 11 hours. Can I do the 1 hour, will it be enough time?

Thanks so much!

 

[fla4fun]

They shouldn’t be going through customs and immigration until they arrive at a destination outside of the US. MCO to LAX is a domestic flight regardless of your nationality. They would go through customs and immigration when they arrive in Australia.

One hour is a pretty tight layover, especially if their flight from MCO gets delayed for any reason. I understand your feeling that eleven hours is too long. Are there any other airlines that would split the difference? If it were me, I would prefer a 3-4 hour layover to allow for delays and give me some time to walk around before boarding a long flight.

 

[RedHead0186]

Yeah, I second the comment that 1 hour is a tight layover, even without having to go through customs/immigration. And LAX is a biiiiiig airport, so there's a chance the two flights could be in different terminals and far apart from each other. you say "kid" but I'm not sure what age; that might be a lot to ask a solo minor traveler (that's a lot to ask even of adult travelers!)

 

[bobbie68]

Yeah, I second the comment that 1 hour is a tight layover, even without having to go through customs/immigration. And LAX is a biiiiiig airport, so there's a chance the two flights could be in different terminals and far apart from each other. you say "kid" but I'm not sure what age; that might be a lot to ask a solo minor traveler (that's a lot to ask even of adult travelers!)

Thank you, I appreciate the input and opinion. I have to stop saying "kid" when I mean a 20 year old. That's what happens when you get older.! LOL!

 

[sjmac42]

The most important thing they need is a protected connection. So not seperate flights from MCO to LAX then LAX to MEL (Melbourne). They (or you) need to purchase a ticket from MCO to MEL. That way any connection they make will be protected and the airline will reschedule them if there are any delays. Even with a protected connection though, the chances of making a 1hr connection at LAX are slim to none.

Surely there are more choices than a 1hr or 11hr connection at LAX though. Most connecting flights to Australia have a 2-3hr connection and connections can be made at LAX, SFO or DFW (Dallas). Some also go through IAH (Houston) as well as connecting on the west coast but having done that I wouldn’t recommend it. There are several airlines you can use for this route with the most direct been Qantas who codeshare with American Airlines.

Or are you using points to get the flights hence the limited choices?

 

[RedHead0186]

Thank you, I appreciate the input and opinion. I have to stop saying "kid" when I mean a 20 year old. That's what happens when you get older.! LOL!

Haha, I get it. Okay, a 20 year old would probably fare alright, though I still say 1 hour could be pretty tight. I'm 35, and would call myself a relatively seasoned traveler and I probably would avoid that itinerary.

 

[bobbie68]

Thanks everyone for the information and opinions. I decided to go with the 11 hour layover at San Francisco. The layover at LAX was 15 hours. I had to use United so was a bit limited. All set now!

 

[BecBennett]

Thanks everyone for the information and opinions. I decided to go with the 11 hour layover at San Francisco. The layover at LAX was 15 hours. I had to use United so was a bit limited. All set now!

If they can check their luggage the whole way through from MCO to Melbourne, 11 hours seems like a good day of site seeing in San Francisco. The time of day the stop over is would make a difference though.